Fluid-pressure feeding device for rock-drilling engines.



No. 795,735v PATENTED JULY 25, 1905. C. H. SHAW.

- FLUID PRESSURE FEEDING DEVICE FOR ROOK DRILLING ENGINES. APPLICATIONFILED JUNE 1, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Me nibr v PATENTED JULY 25, 1905.

0. SHAW. FLUID PRESSURE FEEDING DEVICE FOR ROCK DRILLING ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1, 1904.

2 MEETS-BEEF! 2.

' cylinder-head.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES SHAW, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 25, 1905.

Application filed June 1, 1904. Serial No. 210,704.

T0 at whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLEs H. SHAW, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing in the city and county of Denver and State ofColorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFluid-Pressure Feeding Devices for Rock-Drilling Engines; and I dodeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a new and improved means for feedingrock-drilling engines and rock-cutting drill-bits when drilling holes-inrock.

The improved feed device comprises a feedcylinder having a piston whichcarries the drilling-engine, there being a pressure-inlet at the rearend of the cylinder and a pressurevent at the front end of the cylinder,the vent being opened by the forward movement of the piston. Thefeed-cylinder and the engine are provided with separately-controllablepressure-Suppl y passages, whereby each can be independently regulated.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation ofmy improved fluid-pressure feed mechanism operatively attached to arock-drilling engine. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view throughthe feed mechanism detached. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional viewthrough the cylinder of the feed mechanism. Fig. 4 is a side elevationof the plug or cylinder-head, which is screwed intothe rear end of thecylinder. Fig. 5 is an end view of the inner end of the plug or Fig. 6is an end view of the outer end thereof. Fig. 7 is a transversesectional view taken on the line 7 7 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 8 is aperspective view of the pistonrod, which'operates within the cylinder.

Similar numerals of reference refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views.

Referring to-the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the cylinder, and 2the piston, of myfluid-pressure cylinder feeding device. The cylindercomprises along cylindrical tube provided with a continuous bore 3 fromend to end. The front end of this bore is preferably left open, and apin 4: is inserted transversely through the shell to project slightlyinto the bore of the cylinder and form a stop to the forward stroke ofthe piston-head 5. The rear end of the bore of the cylinder isinteriorly threaded, and a plug-shaped cylinderhead is provided with areduced hub portion 6, that is threaded to extend into the cylinder ashort distance. This plug cylinder-head extends rearward from thecylinder a short distance, and a square or polygonal wrench-receivingsurface is formed on the end of it. In the end of the plug a threadedaperture is formed in which one end of a brace-bar 7 is looselythreaded. The opposite end of this brace-bar is provided with a squareor polygonal-shaped wrench-receiving terminal end. The brace-bar is notan essential part of my fluid-cylinder and can be dispensed with, ifdesired. It is used in drilling some holes to brace the cylinder whereit is inconvenient to use a stopping-bar and clamp for supporting thecylinder. In the center of the inner end of the plug I form an axialaperture 8,which extends into the plug far enough to be intersected by ahole 9, drilled transversely into the body of the plug beyond thecylinder. These two apertures form the fluid-pressure-inlet port of thecylinder and they are preferably arranged in the cylinder-head. Theentrance to the inlet-aperture 9 is threaded and a nipple 10 is threadedto it, to which a suitable valve 11 is connected to control the pressureof the fluid flowing to the cylinder. To the valve a hose 12 is secured,that leads to a source of fluid-pressure supply. The piston-rod 2 is alittle smaller in diameter than the cylinder, and it is provided with apiston-head 5, that is made long enough to form a bearing that willsupport the piston-rod reciprocally in the cylinder. At the rear end ofthe piston-head the threaded stem 14 is formed, on which is mounted aleather washer, and a nut 15 is threaded on the stem and is screwedagainst and clamps the washer enough to expand it against the innerperipheral bore of the cylinder and forms a packing-ring for the piston.The piston is moved forward in the cylinder from the end of its rearwardstroke or from the rear end of the cylinder forward to the front end ofthe cylinder until the piston uncovers a waste-fluid-escape hole 16,formed through the shell of the cylinder at a point just back of theposition of the piston-head when at the end of its forward stroke, whichallows the fluid-pressure to escape when the piston has passed it, thusrelieving the piston of pressure and at the same time informing theattendant that the piston has arrived at the end of its feed movementand must be moved back in the cylinder and started over again. The outerend of the piston may be connected in any suitable manner to thedrilling-engine; but I preferably form a slightlyreduced threadedportion 17 at its end, upon which is threaded a nut 18, and screw thethreaded end of the piston-rod into a threaded hole formed in the rearend of a rock-drilling engine 20 in axial alinement with itslongitudinal center, thus supporting the drilling-engine rigidly indirect alinement with the feedcylinder.

The rock-drilling engine illustrated is of the piston-hammer type andcomprises a cylinder 21, provided with an axial bore, a cylinder-head22, to which the piston-rod is secured, and suitable pressure-fluidports and passages, a piston hammer reciprocally mounted in thecylinder, and a rock-cutting drill-bit 23, operatively mounted in thecylinder in the reciprocal path of the piston-hammer. A valve 24 isplaced in the inlet-pipe 25 close to the cylinder, and a hose leads fromthe valve to a source of fluid-pressure supply.

The (:lrilling-engine does not form any part of my present inventionexcept to illustrate the application of my invention to it, and furtherdescription of it is unnecessary.

The operation of my improved fluid-pressure feed-cylinderand piston isas follows: The fluid-pressure cylinder is supported by the brace-bar orby a stopping-bar, which]. illustrate in a position to bring therockdrilling engine in operative relation to rock, and thefluid-pressure is admitted to the cylinder through the valve andinlet-port holes to the rear end of the piston, which is under aconstant pressure that presses it forward with a constant steadypressure that moves the drilling-engine forward and the drill-bitquickly against the rock and holds it there. The rock-drilling engine isthen started up and the drilling-engine and drill-bit are fed just asfast forward into the rock as the drillbit cuts into the rock as thepressure on the back of the piston is steady, even, and con stant to theend of its forward stroke, when it passes its waste-exhaust outlet andthe fluid-pressure ceases and the feed stops. The fluid-pressure is thenshut off and the pistonrod and drilling-engine and drill-bit are thenmoved backward until the piston-rod reaches the rear end of its rearstroke, when a longer drill-bit is inserted, and the cylinder anddrilling-engine are moved closer to the rock and readjusted, and thefluid-pressure is again turned on and the drilling and feeding iscontinued until the fluid-pressure-operated piston again reaches the endof its forward stroke, when it is again retracted and again startedover.

By fluid-pressure I mean a supply of compressed air, steam or water, ora watery fluid under pressure, or any other suitable piston-actuatingexpansive fluid.

While I have illustrated my fluid-pressure device operatively connectedto a pneumatichammer type of piston-hammer rock-drilling engine, myinvention contemplates its use in connection with any and all types,styles, and kinds of roc kdrilling, channeling, stonedressing, andcarving machines, and while I have illustrated and described thepreferred construction of my improved fluid-pressure drill-feedingdevice I do not wish to be limited to the detailed construction andarrangement shown.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a rock-drilling engine, a feed device comprising acylinder and a piston, said engine carried by said piston, andseparately-controllable pressure-supply passages leading to the engineand feed-cylinder.

2. The combination of a rock-drilling engine, an adjustably-supportedfeed device comprising acylinderand a piston, said engine carried bysaid piston, and separately-controllable pressure-supply passagesleading to the engine and feed-cylinder.

3. In combination, a drill-feed device comprising a cylinder and apiston, a pressure-inlet at the rear end of said cylinder, said veritopened by the forward movement of said piston, a pressure-vent at thefront end of said cylinder, and a separate drilling-engine connected tothe feed-piston.

4. In combination, an adjustably-mounted drill-feed device comprising acylinder and a piston, a pressure-inlet at the rear end of saidcylinder, a pressure-vent at the front end of said cylinder, said ventopened by the forward movement of said piston, and a separatedrilling-engine carried by said piston.

5. In a fluid-pressure feeding device for rock-drilling engines, thecombination with a pneumatic-hammer drill of a fluid-pressure feedcylinder arranged in axial alinement ,with said pneumatic hammer andprovided with a piston-rod secured-at its outer end to said pneumatichammer, and reciprocally mounted in said fluid-cylinder, a pressureventopened by the forward movement of said piston, a plug in-the rear end ofsaid fluidpressure cylinder, and a fluid-inlet passage through said pluginto the rear of said piston, substantially as described.

6. In a fluid-pressure feeding device for rock-drilling engines, thecombination with a pneumatic-hammer rock-drill, of a fluid-pressurefeed-cylinder, arranged in axial alinement with said pneumatic hammer,and comprising a cylinder arranged and adapted to be held in a. fixedposition relative to said pneumatic hammer, a piston-rod provided withan enlarged piston-head reciprocally mounted in said cylinder, andarranged to receive a constant fluid-pressure on its rear end, saidpiston-rod having its outer end rigidly secured to the rear end of saidpneumatic hammer, a cylinder-head in the rear end of said cylinder, afluid-inlet in said cylinderhead adapted to admit a supply offluid-pressure to the rear end only of said piston, and means includinga fluid-escape passage in said cylinder for defining the feeding strokeof 'said piston, whereby a fluid-pressure at the rear of said feedcylinders piston, feeds said pneumatic hammer forward from saidfeed-cylinder as fast as said pneumatic-hammer rock-drill cuts intorock, substantially as described.

7. In a fluid-pressure feeding device for rock-drilling engines, thecombination with the pneumatic-hammer drill,of a piston-rod secured atits outer end to the rear end of said pneumatic-hammer drill at itsaxial center, and extending rearward therefrom, and reciprocally mountedin afluid-pressurereceiving cylinder, adapted to be held in a fixedrelative position when operatively drilling rock to saidpneumatic-hammer drill, a rear cylinder-head in said fluid-pressurecylinder, a fluid-pressure inlet arranged to deliver a supply offluid-pressure to the rear end only of said feed piston-rod, afluid-escape aperture positioned in said feed-cylinder to define thelimit of the operative feed-stroke of said feed-piston and to relievethe piston of pressure, and means for operatively supporting andsecuring said feed-cylinder in fixed positions to operatively feed saidpneumatic-hammer drill forward as fast as it cuts into rock,substantially as described.

8. In a fluid-pressure feeding device for rock-drilling engines, thecombination with the pneumatic-hammer rock-drill, of a fluidpressurecylinder, a piston secured at one end to the rear end of saidpneumatic-hammer rock-drill, and reciprocally mounted in saidfluid-pressure cylinder, a plug-shaped cylinder-head secured to the rearend of said cylinder, an axial fluid-pressure inlet in saidcylinder-head, a transverse fluid-pressure aperture extending throughsaid cylinder-head, and connecting with said axial fluid-inlet, and abrace-bar threaded to the end of said plugshaped cylinder-head,substantially as described.

9. In a fluidpressure feeding device for rock-drilling engines, thecombination with the pneumatic-hammer drill of the fluid-pres-.

sure feed-cylinder and piston, comprising the cylinder, the pistonreciprocally mounted at one end in said cylinder and secured at itsopposite end to said pneumatic hammer, and a plug-shaped cylinder-headthreaded to its rear end, a motivefluid inlet passage extending throughsaid plug cylinder-head into said cylinder at the rear end of saidpiston-rod and provided With a threaded hole in its end, and a brace-barcomprising a bar loosely threaded to the end of said cylinder-head atone end and provided with a Wrench-receiving surface at its oppositeend, substantially as described.

10. In a fluid-pressure feeding device for rock-drilling engines, thecombination with the pneumatic-hammer drill, of the feed-cylinder andits piston, means for supporting said cylinder and piston, amotive-fluidinlet in said feed-cylinder, a nipple threaded to said inlet, a valvethreaded to said nipple, provided with a hose-nipple, afluid-pressure-supply hose connected at one end to said nipple, and apressure-supply pipe leading to said drill, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES H. SHAW. Witnesses:

G. SARGENT ELLIOTT, BEssIE THOMPSON.

